How To Actually Accomplish Your New Year's Resolutions In 2022

Happy New Year my friends! I hope 2022 is off to an amazing start for you! It's that time of year again where people make resolutions that they don't actually plan to keep. These seem to be set up more like a wish list for the year, rather than things they actually resolve to change. In this solo episode, I list off 5 simple things you can do to stay on track and actually accomplish your goals this year. And by the way, it doesn't have to be the start of a new calendar year to start making change. Get after it! As Aristotle said: “We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit.”

In talking about New Year's Resolutions, did you know we are almost at Quitter's Day? January 19th is Quitter's Day! Research shows the day most people are likely to give up on their New Year's Resolutions is January 19. That's sad, isn't it?

So I put together 5 quick tips to help you actually achieve your New Years Resolutions this year. Not only to achieve them, but crush them!

Write it down.

write it in the present tense, like it has already happened. Write it down every day. I know that's a tough one. A recent study by the 3M Company shows that humans process visuals 60,000 times faster than having to imagine things. So when you write down your goals, it means that you can visually see them. This is an important point because when we see something, it affects how we act. You’re more likely to be productive if you can see what you have to do, instead of just thinking about it.

Be specific.

I know you've heard me say it 1028 times before... but let's make it 1029! Vague goals get vague results. Let's flip that so that it is specific goals get specific results. Setting a goal of I'd like to lose some weight this year is an AWFUL goal! Because if you lose 1 pound, congrats, you've achieved your goal. Instead, make it in the present tense like "I am 15 pounds lighter on July 15th" How specific is that! Instead a flimsy goal like "get more downloads on my podcast". Which is a nice goal, but how about "I have double the podcast downloads on December 31, 2022." People who vividly describe or picture their goals are anywhere from 1.2 to 1.4 times more likely to accomplish their goals than people who don't.

Hold yourself accountable

In addition to writing it down, put it out into the world:

Put it on social media. I just saw Matt Rehwoldt [Aiden English] do this on his Instagram:

Tell your friends or your co-workers. If you're serious about losing those 15 pounds and they see you eating your 4th donut of the day, they are going to slap that out of your hand!

Engineer Your environment

Pay for a gym membership or a personal trainer. It's going to make you accountable and make you not want to waste your money.
Put your workout clothes next to your bed. It's the first thing you see How are you going to step over your running shoes and then make the excuse?
Want to eat more fruit? Keep a bowl of apples on your desk. Want to eat less ice cream? I know I do, so I make sure ice cream never makes it into our house.

Be consistent

Put it in your calendar. If you want to go to the gym tomorrow, set a time and stick to it. Say "I am going to go the gym at 7:30am, or 9pm." Whatever works best for you. Make an appointment in your calendar and stick to it.
If you want to for example write a book this year, figure out how many pages that is. Perhaps it's 200 pages... and make sure to write a page every single day for the next 200 days. Congratulations, you have finished your book in 200 days. Then take the rest of the year to proof read it and edit it.

Final thought:

It was Aristotle who said:

“We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit.”

What are your goals for 2022? Shoot me a message on Twitter, Instagram or TikTok. Also let me know what topics you want to hear next in these solo episodes.

Until then, be great and be grateful!